


The Other Face

by sapphire2309



Category: White Collar
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2013-10-06
Packaged: 2018-02-15 09:47:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2224494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphire2309/pseuds/sapphire2309
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Diana's one invisible weapon against Neal Caffrey’s charms was gone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Other Face

**Author's Note:**

> Title's from the song 'Again & Again' by Holly Brook  
> Another fill for my h/c bingo card. This one's for the prompt 'Corporal Punishment'.  
> Minor spoilers for Countermeasures (S02E13), vague for In The Wind (S04E16)

Diana cradled her mug of hot chocolate, enjoying the warmth in her hands, as she reflected on what might just have been one of the stupider mistakes of her life.

The key to not being conned by Neal Caffrey was to never give him anything to work with. A single hint of even the slightest professional respect and he’d snatch it out of your hands and turn it into something he wanted before your eyes adjusted to the light in his eyes.

She’d known from the very beginning that she wouldn’t let herself become a friend, just a colleague who occasionally threatened him with broken bones.

Diana respected Neal. She really did. He’d been through more than most people even dreamed of. More impressively, he’d come out of it (mostly) on the right side of the law in the end, when it mattered.

He’d given his all and then some to save Peter from what looked like a predetermined fate. Granted, he’d crossed over into grey areas that could easily be mistaken for black.

From what little part of his crazy, harebrained plan she’d been able to see, she could tell that I had hinged on not a little luck and an insane amount of sacrifice and risk-taking on Neal’s part.

She couldn’t help but walk up to him and say, “That was damned impressive, Caffrey.”

He’d been quick to reply with a quip and a smile. “What, a woman of the law condoning its blatant disregard? Mozzie would be so proud.”

Ordinarily, she would have been convinced that he didn’t believe her.

Except for the fact that her expression had been deadly serious, and his eyes had examined every inch of her face, looking for a sign of deceit and finding none.

She closed her eyes and exhaled softly.

Her one invisible weapon against Neal Caffrey’s charms was gone.

-:-

  
“Morning, Diana.” Neal walked up to her with two coffees and a smile.

“Despite the fact that Bureau sludge is atrocious, bribing me with Starbucks is not going to work.” Diana put her pen down and took a coffee off his hands.

“I was wondering if-”

“Caffrey.”

“Yeah?”

“Need I remind you that if you ever try to pull one over on me, I will break one or both of your arms.”

“Nope, crystal clear.”

“Good.”

“So, like I was saying, I was wondering if the snitch might actually be at the centre of the Redmond scam. Well, maybe not the _centre_ , but he’s close enough to get a decent payoff.”

Diana paused. “So you weren’t just trying to pull one over on me?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He gave her his most serious expression.

“Try not to make me think so every five seconds.” She rapped the back of his head lightly. “Peter will want to hear this. Let’s go.” She took off for Peter’s office.

Neal touched the back of his head curiously. This was a side of Diana he hadn’t ever seen before.

The corners of his lips turned up slightly. He could work with this.

 _“Caffrey!”_

“Coming.”

-:-

  
Diana walked into the office carrying two Starbucks coffees.

“Quid pro quo. We even?” She handed him one of them.

“Good morning, Diana. How was your night? Mine was _fabulous_. I just discovered that I could possibly convince a judge that those head raps you’re so fond of doling out could be construed as corporal punishment.”

Diana widened her eyes in mock curiosity. “Would the judge in question be female?”

Neal tilted his head. “That would make it easier, yes.”

“Then it doesn’t count.” She delivered a light headslap to the back of his head, just to make her point.

“Ouch!” Neal massaged the spot and glared at Diana, managing to look pained and indignant at the same time.

“Playing it up for the cameras?”

“Anything to help my case.” He dropped his hand and sat down on the edge of his desk.

She looked at him, searching his face, his eyes, his smile for something, anything. She found nothing.

She slowly sat down at the edge of the desk a few inches from him.

“So, the Redmond scam. You found something?”

“Yes. Turns out, our snitch was paid off two hours after the money disappeared from Redmond’s account. Everything he’s said to us has probably been scripted, so that we saw only what they wanted us to see. Forensics is following the money.”

“And how do you know this before me?”

“Early bird, worm. You know the story.”

“You’re comparing intel to a worm?”

“I’ve done worse.”

Maybe losing that mask had been a good thing.

She smiled softly. She could be a friend of this Neal Caffrey. And if he conned her, well.


End file.
